Hinge construction and method for elevating a chair seat



April 20, 1965 G. J. comzu.

HINGE CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD FOR ELEVATING A CHAIR SEAT Filed Dec. 26. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GEORGE J. CORIELL FIG-2 April 20, 1965 a. J. CORIELL HINGE cons'rauc'nou AND METHOD FOR ELEVATING A 0mm smm Filed Dec. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR GEORGE J. comeu.

7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,179,072 HINGE CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD FOR ELEVATING A CHAIR SEAT George .I. Corieli, Dublin, Ohio, assignor to Corlift (Soap, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 247,148 6 Claims. (Cl. 108-145) This invention relates to a novel hinge construction which is used to enable a platform to be raised and temporarily held in an elevated position.

More particularly, this invention relates to a hinge construction which is adaptable for use with an ordinary chair enabling the seat of the chair to be selectively raised and held in an elevated position for use as a high chair by a child, or lowered to its normal position for use by an adult.

Prior means for selectively raising and lowering the seat of a chair do exist; however, applicant knows of none which employs the novel hinge construction disclosed herein. The prior means include complicated link mechanism which have neither the simplicity of design nor the ease of installation of applicants hinge construction.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical means which is used to enable a platform to be raised and temporarily held in an elevated position.

Another object of the invention is to construct an ordinary kitchen or dining room chair which can be readily converted into a childs high chair by raising the seat when desired and which can be reconverted for normal use by an adult.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simply installed apparatus which can be sold as a unit to be used in converting existing ordinary chairs into chairs which are adaptable for selective use either by adults or by children.

While the novel hinge construction is herein disclosed in connection with a chair having a convertible seat, it will be obvious that the hinge construction can be used in other applications, such as loading platforms, platforms on work benches, inclined planes for loading ramps, and the like.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers are used to designate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the hinge construction in extended supporting position showing the seat of the chair in the elevated position for use by a child;

FIGURE 2 is a front sectional elevational view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 which shows the seat in its regular position for use by an adult, and which also shows, by dotted lines, the position of the seat in its uppermost position prior to urging the hinge elements outwardly into supporting position;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view showing the hinge elements in supporting position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 1, showing a coiled spring and accommodating recess in the hinge element;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of in abutting relationship; and

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view showing a modification of the hinge construction to provide two steps of elevation for the seat.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG- URE 1 shows a perspective view of a chair which has the movable leaves "ice been selected to illustrate a specific embodiment of this invention.

The chair 10 is of the known S-shaped variety having a metallic tubular frame supported on two front legs 11 and two rear legs 12. The back rest 13 is supported by the vertical back supports 14. Seat 15 is shown in its elevated position for use by a child and the seat is supported by the novel left and right hinge constructions generally indicated by 16 and 17, respectively.

The lower half of FIGURE 2 shows the seat 15 in its lowered or normal position for use by an adult. Horizontal chair sections 18 and 19 are welded together at 20 and thereby provide a horizontal frame for supporting the seat 15.

Since the hinge constructions 16 and 17 are identical, only a description of the left hinge 16 will follow.

The hinge 16 has four leaves which are made out of number 14 gauge sheet metal. The lower horizontal leaf 21 is fastened to horizontal section 19 by a suitable machine screw and nut 22 and is supported on sections 19 and 18, as shown. The lower swinging leaf 23 is hinged to leaf 21 by hinge pin 24. Long leaf 25 is hinged to leaf 23 by a second hinge pin 26 and the other end of leaf 25 is hinged to the upper stationary leaf 28 by a third hinge pin 29. All three hinge pins 24, 26, and 29, are of common variety having a one-quarter inch diameter. The hinge used in this embodiment of the invention is approximately 8 inches long as measured in the direction of the slots 22 of FIGURE 4 and has supported a man weighing 300 pounds.

Upper stationary leaf 28 is secured to the bottom of seat 15 by suitable screw means 30. Leaf 28 has right angle bends 35 providing a clearance for the hinge pin 29 under seat 15. Similar bends, not shown, can be similarly incorporated in leaf 21 if found necessary.

A coil spring 31 is mounted on pin 26, as shown in FIGURE 5, and provides torsion on leaf 23 and leaf 25, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

The upper half of FIGURE 2, as shown by the dotted lines, depicts the seat 15e in its uppermost position. In this position lower leaves 236 and 25e are in a generally vertical position. When fully extended in this manner the torsion provided by the coil spring begins to urge the leaves 23e and 25e in an outwardly direction. Simultaneously, the seat 15a is pushed downwardly, bringing the hinge pins 26 into their most outward position until the hinges 16 and 17 are in their supporting position, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Ordinarily a hinge is used to provide a free swiveling action. This aspect of the hinge is utilized in the hinge construction; however, in addition, a hinge is used in a novel way to provide the support for an elevated seat, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Leaf 23 is rotated around hinge 24 so that now it begins to abut against leaf 21, as shown at 36. Similarly, leaves 23 and 25 have been rotated relative to each other about pin 26, thereby causing these two leaves to abut, as shown at 37; and finally leaf 25 has been rotated around pin 29 so that it now begins to abut against leaf 28 in area 38.

By controlling the length of the various leaves and the angle through which a hinge will freely swing, it is apparent that the height of the platform can be changed to suit the particular application. The seat herein illustrated, was elevated approximately 4% inches.

FIGURE 4 shows the method of mounting the hinge 16 on the frame sections 18 and 19. Slots 22 are elongated, as shown, and enable the hinge to be easily assembled on the chair frame, having mounting screws with varying distances between centers. To mount the hinge, leaf 21 is fastened to the chair frame 19 by two machine screws 22. Leaf 28 is fastened to seat 15 by two screws 30, thereby completing the installation.

'FIGURE shows the method of mounting the coil spring 31 on hinge pin 26 to provide the necessary torsion on leaves 23 and 25. Leaves 23 and 25 are indented, as shown at 27, to provide a recess into which legs 32 of spring 3-1 can be anchored.

While the legs 32 of spring 31 are shown at right angles to the pin, it would be possible to provide a 90 degree bend in the legs and have them run along the top of the leaves 23 and 25 and be parallel to hinge pin 26. This feature is not shown in the drawings.

FIGURE 6 shows leaves 23 and 25 in abutting relationship with supporting seat in an elevated position. In order to retain the hinge pins, the ends of the leaves are crimped as shown at 35 FIGURE 7 shows a modification of the invention which enables the hinge construction to be used in raising and supporting the seat at two levels of elevation, thereby tailoring the height of the seat to the particular needs of a child.

The modification includes an additional leaf 40 of the same length as leaf 21, which has a side which is bent at a right angle to provide a supporting area 41. The other side of the leaf 4!) is suitably hinged to be joined with leaves 25 and 28 by hinge pin 29. Portions of the hinge side of leaves 25 and 28 are left out in order 7 to provide at least two positions for leaf 40 to be joined, with leaves 25' and 28, by hinge pin 29 (not shown on the drawings). When seat 15 is in its lowermost position, leaf 48 is sandwiched between leaves 23 and 25. When the seat is supported in its uppermost position, as shown by the dotted lines of FIGURE 7, leaf 4t) hangs freely along the outside of leaf 25, as shown. In the lower supporting position, seat 15 is supported by leaf 49, as shown, with leg 41 providing the necessary stahility.

While the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings has the hinge pins 2 26 and 29 of hinge 16 shown parallel to the similar pins in hinge :17, it is possible to employ this hinge construction in situations where the pins are in converging or diverging relationship to each other. For example, if the supporting frame for the seat has members, such as 19 of FIGURE 3, but which members converge towards the back of the seat instead of being parallel as shown, the hinges 16 and 17 can be simply mounted on such converging frame members and still work properly.

Method of operation The procedure to be used in raising the seat for use by a child is as follows:

The seat 15 can be grasped with both hands and raised to its topmost position, as shown in FIGURE 2. At this point the coil springs 31 begin to urge the leaves 23 and 25 outwardly in hinges 16 and 17. Simultaneously the seat can be pushed down, thereby urging pins 26 in hinges 16 and 17 to their outermost positions. As the seat is pushed down, the hinge elements begin to simultaneously vabut in the areas 36, 37, and 38 until the seat 15 is irmly supported by hinges i6 and 17, as shown in FIG- URE 3. In this elevated position, a child sitting on the ;eat 15 can also rest his feet on the frame element 34.

To lower the seat and return it to its normal position "or use by an adult, the seat is raised to its topmost posiion. Pins 26 of hinges 16 and 17 are then forced invardly while simultaneously pushing down on the top if the seat until seat '15 comes to rest, as shown in the ower half of FIGURE 2.

An additional feature of this invention is that the seat an be elevated by raising the hinges to their supporting ositions consecutively rather than simultaneously. Forxample, the left side of the seat can be raised quickly its topmost position and then pushed downwardly to ush pin 26 to its outermost position, thereby supporting the left side of the seat 15. While in this position (not shown on the drawings) the seat is actually an inclined plane. This feature could be utilized in an inclined ramp for loading platforms.

Similarly, the right side of the seat 15 may be raised quickly to its topmost position, permitting spring 3-1 to urge hinge 17 into supporting position thereby completing raising of the seat.

To raise the seat for use in the lower elevated position, the seat 15 is raised sufficiently to enable leaf 4-4]! to freely swing outwardly from between leaves 23 and 25, and thereby assume the vertical supporting position shown in FIGURE 7.

To raise the seat from this lower elevated position to the upper elevated position, the seat is simply raised to its topmost position, at which time coiled springs 32 will urge pins 26 to their outermost position, thereby bringing hinges 16 and 17 into supporting position, as shown by the dotted lines of FIGURE 7.

The procedure for lowering the seat is the same as previously explained except leaves. 4% are pushed inwardly when seat '15 approaches its lowermost position thereby sandwiching leaves 40 between leaves 23 and 25.

While the instant invention has been shown and described in relation to a chair having an adjustable seat, it is understood that the invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge structure comprising first, second, third and fourth hinge leaves in edge-to-edge relation, hinge means interconnecting said first and second, said second and third, and said third and fourth leaves along their adjacent edges, said, first and second leaves being movable bodily relative to said third and fourth leaves about the pivotal interconnection of said second and third leaves to a first position of the hinge structure wherein said first and second leaves on one hand, and said third and fourth leaves on the other hand, are substantially coplanar and wherein said first and second leaves are in substantially face-to-face engagement with said third and fourth leaves, said hinge leaves being pivotal relative to each other in the oppositedirection to a second position in which said first and fourth leaves make acute angles with said second and third leaves respectively, and wherein said second and third leaves are disposed angularly to each other, and elements of abutment means on the respective said leaves adjacent the hinged interconnection thereof to an adjacent leaf, all of said abutment means pertaining to the respective adjacent leaves abutting simultaneously when the hinge structure is in its said second position, said abutment means stopping relative pivotal movement of the leaves in a position such that said first and fourth leaves are substantially parallel with each other.

2. A hinge structure comprising first, second, third and fourth hinge leaves in edge-to-edge relation, hinge means interconnecting said first and second, said second and third, and said third and fourth leaves along their adjacent edges, said first and second leaves being movable bodily relative to said third and fourth leaves about the pivotal interconnection of said second and third leaves to a first position of the hinge structure wherein said first and second leaves on one hand, and said third and fourth leaves on the other hand, are substantially coplanar and wherein said first and second leaves are in substantially face-to-face engagement with said third and fourth leaves, said hinge leaves being pivotal relative to each other in the opposite direction to. a second position in which said first and fourth leaves make acute angles with said second and third leaves respectively, and wherein said second and third leaves are disposed angularly to each other, and elements of abutment means on the respective said leaves adjacent the hinged interconnection thereof to armors an adjacent leaf, all of said abutment means pertaining to the respective adjacent leaves abutting simultaneously when the hinge structure is in its said second position, said abutment means stopping relative pivotal movement of the leaves in a position such that said first and fourth leaves are substantially parallel with each other, said hinge structure including spring means acting between at least two adjacent ones of said leaves and urging said hinge structure in its said second position.

3. In combination; frame means and a platform adjacent said frame means, hinge means located between opposite sides of said frame means and platform and connected to said frame means and platform, and operable for supporting said platform in an elevated position on said frame means, each said hinge means comprising a first leaf fixedly mounted on said frame means and having a hinged side towards the center of said frame means, a second leaf fixedly mounted on the underside of said platform and having a hinged side towards the center thereof, a lower leaf having a first hinged side pivotally joined to the hinged side of said first leaf and having a second hinged side, an upper leaf having a first hinged side pivotally jointed to the lower side of said second leaf and also having a second hinged side pivotally jointed to the second hinged side of said lower leaf, hinge pins extending through said hinged sides for pivotally joining said leaves at said hinged sides thereof, said second hinged sides of said upper and lower leaves being movable inwardly toward the center of said frame means to collapse said hinge means and to dispose said platform closely adjacent said frame means, said second hinged sides of said upper and lower leaves being movable outwardly away from the center of said frame means to elevate said platform and to cause said first and second leaves to form acute angles with said upper and lower leaves respectively, while said upper and lower leaves form a predetermined angle with each other, and abutment means on said leaves adjacent the hinged sides thereof forming abutment areas which abut and stop the rotation of said leaves when said leaves are in said last-mentioned position, thereby fixedly supporting said platform in said elevated position, the said abutment means pertaining to all of said hinged sides abutting simultaneously.

4. The combination according to claim 3, which includes spring means acting on said hinge means and bias ing the leaves thereof in a direction to cause the second hinged sides of said upper and lower leaves to move outwardly away from the center of said platform.

5. The combination according to claim 4, in which said frame means is in the form of a chair frame, and said platform is in the form of a chair seat.

6. The combination according to claim 3, in which each said hinge means includes a fifth leaf hinged to the hinged side of the said second leaf thereof and disposed on the side of said upper leaf which faces away from the center of the frame means, said fifth leaf being shorter than said upper leaf and supporting said platform in an intermediate elevated position wherein the said second hinged sides of said upper and lower leaves are disposed toward the center of said frame means from the hinged connection of said upper and lower leaves, with said first and second leaves, and with said fifth leaf depending vertically from said hinged connection thereof with said second leaf to abutting engagement with said first leaf.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,596 8/00 Bader. 2,520,789 8/50 Weiss l08145 2,531,233 11/50 Pettit 108l45 2,582,791 1/52 Page 108-445 X 2,623,236 12/52 Borchers et al 16-482 X 2,646,106 7/53 Terry 279-338 X 2,729,274 l/ 56 Boschetti et a1 297-338 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,148 2/57 Italy.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

3. IN COMBINATION; FRAME MEANS AND A PLATEFORM ADJACENT SAID FRAME MEANS, HINGE MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRAME MEANS AND PLATFORM AND CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME MEANS AND PLATFORM, AND OPERABLE FOR SUPPORTING SAID PLATFORM IN AN ELEVATED POSITION ON SAID FRAME MEANS, EACH SAID HINGE MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST LEAF FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEANS AND HAVING A HINGED SIDE TOWARDS THE CENTER OF SAID FRAME MEANS, A SECOND LEAF FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PLATFORM AND HAVING A HINGED SIDE TOWARDS THE CENTER THEREOF, A LOWER LEAF HAVING A FIRST HINGED SIDE PIVOTALLY JOINED TO THE HINGED SIDE OF SAID FIRST LEAF AND HAVING A SECOND HINGED SIDE, AN UPPER LEAF AND HAVING A FIRST HINGED SIDE PIVOTALLY JOINTED TO THE LOWER SIDE OF SAID SECOND LEAF AND ALSO HAVING A SECOND HINGED SIDE PIVOTALLY JOINTED TO THE SECOND HINGED SIDE OF SAID LOWER LEAF, HINGE PINS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HINGED SIDES FOR PIVOTALLY JOINING SAID LEAVES AT SAID HINGED SIDES THEREOF, SAID SECOND HINGED SIDES OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER LEAVES BEING MOVABLE INWARDLY ROWARD THE CENTER OF SAID FRAME MEANS TO COLLAPSE SAID HINGE MEANS AND TO DISPOSE SAID PLATFORM CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID FRAME MEANS, SAID SECOND HINGED SIDES OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER LEAVES BEING MOVABLE OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID FRAME MEANS TO ELEVATE SAID PLATFORM AND TO CAUSE SAID FIRST AND SECOND LEAVES TO FORM ACUTE ANGLES WITH SAID UPPER AND LOWER LEAVES RESPECTIVELY, WHILE SAID UPPER AND LOWER LEAVES FORM A PREDETERMINED ANGLE WITH EACH OTHER, AND ABUTMENT MEANS ON SAID LEAVES ADJACENT THE HINGED SIDES THEREOF FORMING ABUTMENT AREAS WHICH ABUT AND STOP THE ROTATION OF SAID LEAVES WHEN SAID LEAVES ARE IN SAID LAST-MENTIONED POSITION, THEREBY FIXEDLY SUPPORTING SAID PLATFORM IN SAID ELEVATED POSITION, THE SAID ABUTMENT MEANS PERTAINING TO ALL OF SAID HINGED SIDES ABUTTING SIMULTANEOUSLY. 